The first series of children's art workshops in the Lockyer Valley were a smashing success. With all four sessions sold out it was a wonderful two days at Laidly and Gatton, meeting new families and holding space for children's creativity. 
The two workshops, Aussie Animals and On The Farm offered children the opportunity to engage in student-led learning. 
As an artist, parent and teacher, I find it essential to create a space safe for authentic creative exploration. A space that allows students the safety to have a go and see what happens, while having the knowledge that there is support and guidance offered on an individual level. Problem solving and discovery is where the arts shines.  
I also know that initially this can be confronting for some, the idea that all is a possibility, that ulitmately there is no answer and that the individual decides what the outcome looks like. In each session, expectations for self-directed learning are clearly outlined. And they can, for some, seem simple, a provocation such as, 'we are going to create an acrylic artwork based on an animal you choose.' It seems simple, and can be just that: pick a photo and replication. It also offers the students the opportunity to mix and match different reference images, build a narrative, play with character design,  deconstruction and the list of infinite possibilities continues. 
After being introduced to available tools and art materials, students take the initiative to independently organise and engage with these resources, allowing them to explore and develop their artistic ideas.
Throughout each session, I offer technical tips and tricks to the class and the individual, depending on their needs. 
Teaching like this, I find, offers so much more to students than outcomes, and yes, again, it can be confronting, and sometimes, I admit, confusing.  For many, education can feel like it needs a lot of rigid structures, formulas and processes.  The arts is one of those subjects that offer a difference. 
Now, yes, there is a foundational technique, 100% so before someone says what about the technical stuff. That is also covered at an age-appropriate and individualised level. But the basis of classes I find the most important thing is to offer a space to play, and make mistakes while feeling supported. 


Acknowledgement:
The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Lockyer Valley Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Window paintings are always such an interesting project, the transparency of the surface and ability to see through, around and behind plays with the idea of space, flat surface imagery and movement between planes. 
For the series of works I created over carnival it was important to me to reference local inspiration and relevance, I didn't just want to paint something generic 'Spring' like. 
Instead I drew from the ideas of celebration and carnivals 75th birthday, as well as pulling from local birds and colours seen locally. 

The Finch, was obviously going to be a pair of finches, the double-barred variety that is spotted frequently in the region. The choosen colour palette was pulled from a bouquet of poppies, which may seem an odd choice in isolation but was actually selected as The Finch Bar filled their tables with poppies over the Spring season. 

The Other Bird, really played with the concepts of deconstructed flowers, celebration and local birds. When visiting the site for inspiration I was instantly attrached to the vibrant pops of colour poking out from the lush greenery of the grounds. With established hedges, shrubs and the towering trees the site felt warm and cosy nestled amongst the nature while being in a built environment. Yet if you took moment to pause you would notice all the neon flowers poking through, some maybe tiny but they felt as if a sprinkling of glitter amongst the space. I was instantly drawn to these inconspicuous objects and dove straight into the most vibrant and neon of colours in my paint box.  Thinking of flowers, confetti and streamers it was a delight to paint. 

What fun is was to design Queen Bunny Bee for the Grand Central Shopping Centre annual float for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers parade of 2024. I was thrilled when they asked me to do the job, it's such a happy space for my creativity to reimagine a found object.  
I even challenged myself with a quick turnaround of making a set of wings with paper mache over a weekend - hot tip it was a lot more involved than I thought but oh so worth it. 

I've never held one of these before, it's similiar yet so different to an exhibition. It's also nice seeing everything you have made over the last few years either for your practice, experimentation or work sitting side by side. It's like a collision of worlds that happen to be very compartmentalised in my mind. 

It's also wild to think that there is over 60 pieces in this collection of mostly acrylic on canvas with a sprinkling of works on paper. 

Each piece is it's own, even those I've created for workshops, no two pieces are the same that's for sure. And finding them walls to hang and be loved on feels like such an honour, they deserve to be seen and not stacked in piles and stored on shelves...as they currently are. 

The affordable collection sale will be hosted at Tinker City 76 Russell Street Toowoomba, Friday 18th October 5:30-7:30PM. All are most definitely welcome, see you there!